


A puppy for my pup

by yogini



Series: The Babysitter Chronicles [19]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Animal Shelter, Babysitter!Stiles, Cats, Dad!Derek, Dogs, Family Fluff, M/M, No one listens to Derek, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, adopting a pet, kid!Laura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-22 05:51:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3717562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yogini/pseuds/yogini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“But cats can be so boooring” Stiles complained. “Dogs are so much more fun, you can train them to do all kinds of stuff. Like fetching things, Derek, you could train it to fetch you coffee in the mornings!” he continued, gesturing wildly. “Then you don’t have to scare anyone when you enter the kitchen looking like you want to kill someone.” <br/>“I do not look like I want to kill someone.” <br/>“Do too!”<br/>“Do not!” Derek insisted, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his eyebrows.<br/>“Oh my god, no! Not the eyebrows of doom!” Stiles gasped dramatically before Derek growled and chased him out of the kitchen.</p><p>or</p><p>Laura wants a pet and Stiles thinks it’s a great idea to get her a puppy. Derek tries to convince them both that a cat is a much more reasonable choice but since when did anyone listen to him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A puppy for my pup

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Teen Wolf or any of the characters in the series, I'm just borrowing them from their respective owners to play with a little and I promise to give them back when I'm done. No copyright infringement is intended and I don't make any money from writing fanfiction.

In fact, Derek was feeling quite proud of himself for the idea. Laura had mentioned how much she wanted a pet and Derek thought that it had been a stroke of genius to suggest making a whole event out of it and go together to the local animal shelter.

“It’s a good thing” he excitedly told everyone who wanted to listen to him. “She’ll learn to be responsible and care for another living creature and by going to the animal shelter we can teach her about their work and give someone a new chance to get a really good home.” His enthusiasm made the others smile and Scott actually looked really touched, but then again, he often did that when something cute and fluffy was involved. Cora, on the other hand, stared at her brother as if he’d grown an extra head for ten seconds straight and then barked out a laugh, proclaiming him to be the world’s biggest sap ever. Derek most certainly did not scowl and throw a sweaty sock at her, because he was a responsible adult. The sock must somehow have flown away to land on her head on its own.

::

Now that is was decided that the family was soon going to include a pet as well the question of what kind of a pet that were coming home with them arose. Derek had hoped for something small and easy maintenance, like a guinea pig or a small rabbit, but he was prepared to push it as far as getting a cat. Stiles on the other hand had other ideas.

“I still think that it’s a good idea to get her a puppy” Stiles said stubbornly and crossed his arms across his chest.

“A cat is much more practical.” Derek tried to reason with him. “A cat doesn’t need to be taken out for walks, it can be left alone longer and they aren’t as dependent on the owner.” Stiles could argue for a puppy as much as he liked but it was Derek that was going to have to take the ultimate responsibility, even if it was Laura’s dog, and he wasn’t really looking forward to early morning walks or hiding all the shoes to prevent them for getting eaten and mopping up accidents from the floor. A cat was simply so much more practical as a pet. Not that Stiles listened to him of course.

 

“But cats can be so boooring” he complained. “Dogs are so much more fun, you can train them to do all kinds of stuff. Like fetching things, Derek, you could train it to fetch you coffee in the mornings!” he continued, gesturing wildly. “Then you don’t have to scare anyone when you enter the kitchen looking like you want to kill someone.” Stiles beamed at the idea while and Derek felt his jaw twitch.

“I do not look like I want to kill someone” he responded curtly and Stiles cackled out a laughter.

“Do too!”

“Do not!” Derek insisted, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his eyebrows.

“Oh my god, no! Not the eyebrows of doom!” Stiles gasped dramatically before Derek growled and chased him out of the kitchen.

::

Later that night when Derek had read Laura a bedtime story, (that just happened, by some strange coincidence, to be _Amanda, the amazing cat_ ), he casually brought up the subject again.

“Listen, pup, I really want you to have a pet and be happy with it and take good care of it, and I think that you should choose whichever one you like the most, okay? ” he started, somewhat distracted as he straightened out the blankets at the same time. “And whatever you choose, it’ll be a great addition to our family.” Laura smiled at his when he pulled the covers up to her chin.

“You think so?”

“I know so” he answered, stroking her hair back from her forehead. “It’ll be fun, we’ll go together to the shelter and see if we can find someone to give a new family.”

“Like you did” Laura chipped in, sounding very tired but still content. Derek nodded.

“I guess” he mumbled, suddenly touched. “Anyway, I just wanted to say that it’s your choice and I know that Stiles is really hopeful about getting a puppy but I just wanted to say that there are really amazing cats that would love a new home as well.”

 

Derek would have said more but he did want his daughter to choose what she wanted, not what she thought that he’d be happy with. If he hadn’t been so careful about influencing Laura he’d also mentioned that cats were amazing because you didn’t need to get up and go out every time they wanted to pee, a cat wouldn’t eat your shoes or your favourite toys and, while a cat might cough up the occasional hairball, it wouldn’t rip you pantry apart in a single-minded frenzied search for food and then puke from eating too much. He might have thought it, but he didn’t say it.

::

The next day they arrived at the shelter, Laura bouncing with energy and Stiles practically skipping towards the door as well. Derek followed both of them at a more sedate pace. He didn’t mind that Stiles going with them, it was nice for both him and Laura to spend some time with Stiles now that he worked more and they didn’t get to see him as often as they were both used to. At least, Derek hadn’t minded up until that point when the other man had leaned in close and whispered: ”I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Someone has to make sure she doesn’t choose a cat” and winked. Derek had barely refrained himself from locking the man into the car until the visit was over.

 

“Hello and welcome to Beacon Hills Animal Shelter.” The young woman behind the counter greeted them with a bright smile as they entered. “How can I help you today?”

“We’re here to adopt a pet” Laura piped up confidently, standing on her tip-toes to see over the counter, and the woman’s smile widened.

“How lovely, sweetie, I’m sure you’ll find someone just perfect for your family.” She nodded briefly to Stiles and Derek before returning her attention to Laura. “What kind of a pet are you looking for, sweetie?” she asked and Laura cocked her head to the side, looking a little unsure.

“A cat or a dog” she answered, but it was plain to see for all three adults that her eyes lit up at the mention of a dog. Derek groaned inwardly but didn’t let it show. If the universe was determined to saddle him with a puppy he’d rather have to replace all the shoes in the house than ruining his daughter’s excitement over it.

“Hm, both make really good pets” the woman said thoughtfully. “But do you want to know a secret?” she asked, leaning forward just a little, and Laura nodded eagerly.

“Dogs are just a tiny bit better” the woman whispered surreptitiously and Laura’s eyes widened.

“Really?” she whispered and the woman nodded.

“Really” she confirmed. “They’re just through there” she said, pointing towards a door to her left. “Go on, sweetie, they’ll love to meet you.” Laura looked back at her dad with a tentative smile and Derek shooed her towards the door.    

“Go on then” he said and watched a beaming Laura promptly skip through the door leading to the dog area, closely followed by Stiles. Derek groaned as he followed them. Goodbye nice leather sofa in the living room and hello being woken up in the crack of dawn and licked at. Fan-fucking-tastic.

 

But even the thoughts of future property damage and lack of much needed sleep couldn’t keep Derek from smiling as he saw his little girl turn around to look at him, holding a small dachshund in her arms and wearing a smile as bright as the sun.


End file.
